>> OFFICIALS LAY OUT A PLAN TO BRING STUDENTS BACK TO THE HIGH SCHOOL.
NICK.
SCHOOL. NICK. >> YESTERDAY FORD TALKED ABOUT
THEIR 150 PICKUP TRUCK AND TODAY
GM IS ANSWERING UNVEILING THEIR
SILVERADO.
WE’LL OFFER THE DETAILS HOW FAR
THIS COULD GO AND EXACTLY WHAT’S
THE GOING TO COST YOU.
>> WE’RE GOING TO BEGIN WITH A
RECORD-BREAKING NUMBER OF NEW
CORONAVIRUS CASES HEAR IN
MICHIGAN.
27,346 OCCASIONS OVER THE PAST
TWO DAYS.
THAT AVERAGES TOUT 13,600 CASES
PER DAY, 277 NEW DEATHS ARE ALSO
BEING RECORDED INCLUDING 165
FROM A VITAL RECORDS REVIEW.
>> AND AS YOU’VE NOTICED OVER
THE LAST FEW DAYS, THE AVERAGES
KEEP GOING UP, SEVEN-DAY MOVING
AVERAGE HAS MORE THAN DOUBLED
OVER THE LAST THREE WEDNESDAYS.
ON DECEMBER 22nd, MICHIGAN
AVERAGED 5700 CASES A DAY AND
TODAY THE NUMBER IS 12,000.
TODAY’S DAILY AVERAGE, BY THE
WAY, THE HIGHEST IT’S EVER BEEN
SINCE THE START OF THE PANDEMIC.
>> AND WITH THESE NUMBERS ARE
DR. McGEORGE SPENDING SOME
TIME TODAY TALKING WITH THE
CHIEF’S MEDICAL OFFICER TO GET
HER TAKE ON THE THRENTDZ BEING
SEEN HERE AND ACROSS THE NATION.
>> CERTAINLY THERE’S NO SHORTAGE
OF THINGS TO TALK ABOUT.
LET’S GO AHEAD AND BRING IN
DR. McGEORGE RIGHT NOW.
WE’RE GUESSING NEITHER OF YOU
WERE SURPRISED BY TODAY’S NUMBER
OF CASES.
>> WELL, YOU KNOW, KIM AND
JASON, AT THE TIME THAT I TALKED
TO HER SHE ACTUAL DISPLEE HAVE
TODAY’S NEWEST NUMBERS BUT DID
REFLECT ON THE TREND WE’VE BEEN
SEEING.
PERSONALLY I WILL SAY TODAY’S
NUMBERS ARE COMPLETELY
CONSISTENT WITH THE OMICRON
SPIKE THAT WE’RE CURRENTLY IN.
AND WHILE IT MAY BE TRUE THAT
OMICRON OVERALL DOESN’T CAUSE AS
SEVERE ILLNESS THESE INSANELY
HIGH CASE NUMBERS ARE STILL
TRANSPORTING INTO AN
OVERWHELMING NUMBER OF PATIENTS
IN THE E.R. AND IN THE HOSPITAL.
>> FOR EVERYONE WHO’S FOLLOWING
NUMBERS NOT ONLY IN MICHIGAN BUT
AROUND THE COUNTRY I THINK IT’S
CERTAINLY A CONCERNING TREND AND
WHEN WE LOOK AT SOME OF OUR
NEIGHBORS, ESPECIALLY SOME OF
OUR EAST COAST NEIGHBORS, IT
TELLS US WHAT MAY BE YET TO
COME.
>> Reporter: DR. NATASHA,
MICHIGAN’S CHIEF MEDICAL
EXECUTIVE, POINTS OUT THAT OUR
SITUATION IS VERY SERIOUS.
>> THIS IS CONCERNING.
WHAT WE HAVE BEEN SEEING SO FAR
HAS BEEN OUR DELTA VARIANT
SURGE.
WE ARE NOW STARTING TO SEE OUR
OMICRON SURGE.
>> Reporter: GIVEN SURGE IN
CASES, SOME PEOPLE HAVE BEEN
CRITICAL SCHOOLS NOT GOING
VIRTUAL BUT NATASHA BELIEVES
IT’S NOT ONE SIZE FITS ALL.
>> I THIS I THAT SCHOOLS, SCHOOL
DISTRICTS AND LOCAL HEALTH
DEPARTMENTS HAVE TO MAKE
DECISIONS THAT MAKE SENSE TO THE
LOCALS.
THEY HAVE TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT
WHAT’S HAPPENING LOCALLY AS WELL
AS WHAT MITIGATION STRATEGIES
THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO
IMPLEMENT.
WE BELIEVE SCHOOLS SHOULD BE ONE
OF THE LAST PLACES TO CLOSE DOWN
AND ONE OF THE FIRST PLACES TO
OPEN.
>> TO KEEP SCHOOLS AND OTHER
VITAL SECTORS OPEN, WE KNOW TO
WORK TOGETHER.
>> WE’RE IN A REALLY CRITICAL
TIME FOR OUR STATE.
WE WENT INTO THIS OMICRON SURGE
BACK EAST WHEN INCIDENTS AT
HOSPITALS WERE REALLY OVER
CAPACITY AND ASKING FOR HELP.
WE’VE HAD TO ASK FOR HELP FROM
OUR HEALTH PARTNERS LORD IS
WE’RE GOING INTO THIS IN A
REALLY BAD PLACE AND NOW IS THE
TIME FOR US TO COME TOGETHER AS
A TEAM.
INDIVIDUALS MAY THINK THAT THEY
ARE LOW RISK GROUPS AND PERHAPS
THEY DON’T NEED TO GET
VACCINATED, PERHAPS THEY DON’T
NEED TO WEAR A MASK BUT NOW IS
THE TIME WE DO THIS AS A
COMMUNITY AND TO COME TOGETHER.
>> UNFORTUNATELY OMICRON IS JUST
A DIFFERENT BEAST THAN OTHER
VARIABILITYS AND CONTROLLING ITS
SPREAD IS DARN NEAR IMPOSSIBLE.
FRANKLY ANYONE WHO ISN’T TAKING
PRECAUTION SERIOUSLY IS AT RISK
OF GETTING INFECTED BUT FOR SURE
THE MOST SERIOUS INFECTIONS WILL
OCCUR MOST OFTEN THIS
UNVACCINATED PEOPLE.
RIGHT NOW THERE IS BASICALLY
UNCHECKED SPREAD, AND WE KNOW TO
PROTECT OURSELVES AND JUST HOPE
THAT THIS SPIKE BURNS ITSELF OUT
QUICKLY AS IT DID IN SOUTH
AFRICA.
>> THAT REALLY IS WHAT I THINK
EVERYBODY IS HOPING.
FRANK, WE KEEP HEARING ABOUT
THESE MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES.
HOW IS THE STATE DOING ON
TREATMENT MEDICATIONS LIKE THAT?
>> WELL, YOU KNOW, THEY ARE IN
SHORT SPLIE EVERYWHERE IN THE
U.S. AND RIGHT NOW THEY’RE BEING
STRATEGICALLY TARGETED AT ONLY
THE HIGHEST RISQUESES.
IT’S A CRITICAL SITUATION.
>> YEAH, OKAY.
DR. McGEORGE, THANK YOU.
>>> GOVERNOR GRETCHEN WHITMER
SAYS SHE TESTED NEGATIVE FOR
COVID AGAIN TODAY AFTER HER
HUSBAND TESTED POSITIVE.
IN A VIDEO POSTED TO HER TWITTER
ACCOUNT, THE GOVERNOR SAYS SHE
TOOK A PCR TEST AND STILL
CONTINUES TO ISOLATE WHILE
WORKING FROM HOME.
>> BE TONIGHT MAYOR MIKE DUGGAN
IS WORKING TO SEND A CLEAR
MESSAGE TO DETROITER AS COVID
SPREADS ALL ACROSS THE CITY.
HE SAYS NOW IS THE TIME TO ACT
AND HE ISN’T JUST TALKING ABOUT
GETTING VACCINATED.
SHAWN LEY IS LIVE TONIGHT.
HE’S VERY CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT’S
HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.
>> HERE’S WHY.
THERE’S A LOT OF CONCERN, WE’RE
TOLD BY THE CHIEF HEALTH OFFICER
HERE IN THE CITY, THAT OMICRON
IS EXPLODING ACROSS THE CITY,
AND 46% OF DETROITERS ONLY HAVE
THEIR FIRST SHOT.
38% HAD TWO OF THEIR VACCINATION
SHOTS.
SO THERE’S A FOCUS ON GETTING
PEOPLE VACCINATED BUT ALSO NOW
SHIFTING TO TESTING 1,000 PEOPLE
A DAY.
>> Reporter: WITH COVID FATIGUE
WELL IN PLACE IN THE CITY OF
DETROIT LAGGING BEHIND AND
PEOPLE GETTING VACCINATED, MAYOR
DUGGAN WITH AN UPDATE HE WANTS
EVERYONE TO HEAR.
WITH THE OMICRON VARIANT
SPREADING LIKE WILDFIRE IN THE
CITY, IT’S TIME TO MASK UP AGAIN
AND NOT WITH A CLOTH MASK.
>> THIS VIRUS IS ABAIGHT THE
CLOTH MASKS.
THOSE MASKS YOU MADE UP YOURSELF
OUT OF CLOTH, THAT YOU WORE THAT
HAD NICE DESIGNS ON THEM, THEY
WERE VERY EFFECTIVE FOR THE LAST
YEAR AND A HALF IN PROTECTING
YOU AGAINST INFECTION.
THEY AREN’T WORKING AGAINST THE
OMICRON VIRUS.
AND SO NOW WE KNOW TO BE WEARING
THE K95 OR THE SURGICAL MASKS.
WE HAVE TO TAKE THIS MORE
SEARIOUSLY.
>> Reporter: THE CITY STILL HAS
VACCINATION AND BOOSTER CLINICS
RUNNING SIX DAYS A WEEK.
NOW TESTING IS RAMPING UP.
THE CITY WILL TEST 1,000 PEOPLE
A DAY WHO LIVE OR WORK IN THE
CITY.
A DRIVE-THROUGH TEST SITE AT THE
WILLIAMS CENTER ON ROSA PARKS,
ANOTHER ONE AT HUNTINGTON PLACE,
FORMERLY CALLED THE TCF CENTER.
TESTS ARE SCARCE NATIONWIDE,
LINES ARE LONG.
DETROIT WANTS TO AVOID LONG
LINES AND SAYS IT HAS PLENTY OF
TESTS.
>> WE THINK 1,000 A DAY, BASED
ON OUR PHONE CALL SO FAR, WE’RE
FINE.
WE HAVE A SUPPLY OF 4500 ABBOT
ID NOW TESTS A WEEK WE RUN
THROUGH OUR LABS, AND WE GOT
THOSE LOCKED IN AND GUARANTEED
ON TOP OF THE OTHER SUPPLIES, SO
WE’RE GOOD.
>> BACK HERE LIVE, WE’VE SEEN
THOSE LONG LINES IN OTHER
PLACES, PEOPLE WAITING TO GET A
TEST.
NOT LONG LINES IN DETROIT
BECAUSE IT’S BY APPOINTMENT
ONLY.
DO YOU HAVE TO CALL
313-230-0505.
THE NUMBER RIGHT THERE ON YOUR
SCREEN.
A LOT OF CONCERN HERE IN DETROIT
TONIGHT AS THE VIRUS CONTINUES
TO SPREAD, THIS VARIANT.
KIMBERLY.
>> YEAH.
SHAUN, I KNOW THE MAYOR WAS
ASKED ABOUT MASK MANDATES IN THE
CITY, TALK ABOUT WHAT HE HAD TO
SAY ABOUT THAT.
>> HE SAYS HE’S GOING TO WORK
EVERY DAY WEARING HIS MASK,
KEEPING HIS DISTANCE.
HE SAYS HE WANTS PEOPLE TO USE
COMMON SENSE BUT ALSO MASK UP,
BUT NO REQUIREMENTS.
>> OKAY, SHAWN, THANKS.
>>> LET’S SWITCH GEARS OVER TO
THE WEATHER NOW.
AND ALL OF SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN
UNDER A WIND ADVISORY UNTIL
ABOUT 10:00 TONIGHT.
>> YEAH, WE SAW THOSE FLAGS
WHIPPING THROUGHOUT IN ONE OF
THE SHOTS EARLIER.
LET’S GET TO PAUL GROSS WHO HAS
BEEN UPDATE FOR US.
>> YEAH, HEY THERE JASON, HEY,
KIM.
WE ARE LOOKING AT WIND ADVISORY
THAT WILL BE IN EFFECT UNTIL
10:00 THIS EVENING.
I THINK THE BEST CHANCE TO SEE
ANY MORE HIGH END WIND GUSTS IS
IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS OR
SO AND THINGS WILL START
SETTLING DOWN OVERNIGHT.
TEMPS ARE ANOTHER PART OF THE
STORY ALONG WITH THE WIND GUSTS.
WE STARTED THE DAY WELL INTO THE
30s, AND NOW HERE WE ARE WELL
DOWN INTO THE 20s, EVEN INNED
UPPER TEENS IN SOME SPOTS.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, SOME OF US
ARE STILL GUSTING BETWEEN 30 AND
40 MILES PER HOUR.
>> STORMTRACKER 4 SHOWS YOU THIS
BAND OF SNOW HERE THE.
YOU NOTICE DARK BLUE HERE.
THERE IS HEAVIER SNOW THERE.
WE’RE NOT TALKING ABOUT BLIZZARD
CONDITIONS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT
BUT IT IS MUCH MORE SNOW.
THE AIRPORTS ARE REPORTING ALL
VISIBILITIES ARE 2 MILES OR
ABOVE, HOWEVER IN THE PAST HOUR
THE AIRPORT HAD VICINITY DOWN TO
ABOUT A HALF MILE.
SO THAT WAS MODERATE SNOW.
TEMPERATURES CONTINUING TO FALL
INTO THE TEENS.
NOW, DON’T FORGET, THE LOCAL
FORECAST’S APP HAS REALTIME
RADAR AND IT’S REAL IMPORTANT
SITUATIONS LIKE THIS, WHERE YOU
CAN RUN FROM FLURRIES TO HEAVIER
SNOW IN A MATTER OF MOMENTS, SEE
THAT BOX ON THE SCREEN THERE,
THAT’S CALLED A QR CODE.
ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS TAKE YOUR
SMART PHONE AND PUT IT UP TO
THAT AND TAKES YOU TO THE SPOT
WHERE YOU CAN INSTANTLY DOWNLOAD
THE LOCAL FORECAST.
NO MORE GOING TO THE APP STORE
AND FIGURING OUT WHERE TO FIND
IT.
JUST SCAN IT THERE AND YOU HAVE
THE APP IN THE PALM OF YOUR
HANDS.
BE BACK IN A FEW MINUTES.
>>> TONIGHT THE PICTURE BECOME
CLEARER OF WHEN AND HOW STUDENTS
ARE GOING TO RETURN TO OXFORD
HIGH SCHOOL.
>> STUDENTS ARE SET TO RETURN TO
LEARNING STARTING MONDAY BUT IT
ISN’T GOING TO HAPPEN INSIDE THE
BUILDING.
VICTOR WILLIAMS IS LIVE TONIGHT
WITH DETAILS ON WHEN THAT’S
GOING TO ALL TAKE PLACE, VICTOR.
>> YES, THIS WILL A VERY SLOW
TRANSITION DIED TO GIVE PARENTS,
STUDENTS AND STAFF AS MUCH TIME
AS THEY NEED TO HEAL FROM SUCH A
TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCE.
>> Reporter: OXFORD SCHOOL
OFFICIALS HAVE READ COUNTLESS
MESSAGES AND LISTED DOZENS OF
VOICE MAILS FROM CONCERNED
PARENTS HOW STUDENTS SHOULD
SAFELY RETURN TO SCHOOL.
TODAY THE PLAN IS FINALLY BEING
RELEASED BY SUPERINTENDENT TIM
THE THRONE RENOVATIONS ARE
EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED OXFORD
HIGH THE WEEK OF JANUARY 17TH.
HOWEVER, STUDENTS WILL
PHYSICALLY RETURN THE WEEK OF
JANUARY 24th.
WITH THE HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING
STILL NOT READY TO BE RE-OPENED,
OXFORD HIGH STUDENTS WILL BE
TAKING CLASSES AT BOTH OXFORD
MIDDLE AND OXFORD BRIDGES HIGH
FOR THE FIRST TWO WEEKS OF
CLASS.
THE ULTIMATE HYBRID SCHEDULE
WILL START ON & JANUARY THE
10th AND LAST UNTIL THE
21st.
A DETAILED LETTER IS EXPECTED TO
GO OUT TO FAMILIES AT ALL
SCHOOLS INVOLVED.
DURING THAT TIME, BAND AND
ORCHESTRA PROGRAMS WILL BE
CANCELED FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
STUDENTS ON TUESDAYS AND
THURSDAYS BECAUSE OF A LACK OF
SPACE AT FACILITY.
THE ATHLETIC PORTION OF OXFORD
ON THE OTHER HAND IS READY.
PRACTICE WILL RESUME IN JUST
FIVE DAYS ON JANUARY THE 10th
WITH ACTUAL COMPETITION SET TO
START ON JANUARY 24th.
>> AND THERE WILL BE THREE OPEN
HOUSE OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS
AND PARENTS TO TAKE A LOOK AT
THE NEW RENOVATED OXFORD HIGH
SCHOOL LATER ON TONIGHT.
WE KNOW THERE IS SUPPOSE TO BE A
TELEPHONE TOWN HALL FOR PARENTS
TO VOICE THEIR CONCERNS.
VICTOR WILLIAMS, LOCAL 4.
>> BREAKING NEWS COMING IN NOW
INVOLVING THAT BOOSTER FROM
PFIZER FOR KIDS AGES 12 TO 15.
THE CDC’S ADVISORY PANEL HAS
JUST VOTED IN FAVOR OF
RECOMMENDING A BOOSTER DOSE FOR
THAT AGE GROUP.
THE VOTE WAS 13 IN FAVOR, 1
AGAINST.
THE BOOSTER WOULD BE GIVEN AT
LEAST FIVE MONTHS AFTER THE
SECOND DOSE OF THE VACCINE.
CDC DIRECTOR DR. RACHEL WALENSKI
HAS THE FILE SAY IN ALL THIS AND
EXPECTED TO ANNOUNCE THAT
DECISION QUICKLY.
>>> AN EARLY-MORNING FIRE IN
PHILADELPHIA CLAIMS AT LEAST 13
LIVES INCLUDING SEVEN CHILDREN.
>> INVESTIGATORS SAY AT LEAST
FOUR SMOKE DETECTORS DID NOT GO
OFF IN THE MULTIUNIT ROW HOUSE.
THEY SAY IT TOOK FIRE CREWS
ALMOST AN HOUR TO CONTAIN THE
FLAMES.
THE PUBLIC HOUSING BUILDING WAS
RECENTLY CONVERTED INTO TWO
APARTMENTS, AT LEAST 26 PEOPLE
WERE INSIDE AT THE TIME OF THE
FIRE.
>> I’VE BEEN AROUND FOR 30, 35
YEARS NOW, AND THIS IS PROBABLY
ONE OF THE WORST FIRES I’VE EVER
BEEN THROUGH.
>> IT’S THE HOLIDAYS.
I DON’T KNOW IF PEOPLE WERE
COMING TO VISIT, I HAVE NO IDEA.
BUT WE’RE STILL WORKING WITH THE
AUTHORITIES.
>> TWO PEOPLE ARE IN CRITICAL
CONDITION FROM THIS.
EIGHT WERE ABLE TO GET OUT
SAFELY, INVESTIGATORS ARE STILL